Never get burned
by Ems724
Summary: Malex. Originally posted on Livejournal. Not written by me copyright goes to sogoodxinblue. ON HIATUS.
1. Everything I Need Is Here In My Hand

Never Get Burned Part 1

This story does NOT belong to me. All copyright goes to _sogoodxinblue.

You look up as you hear the door open, watching her walk in. You smile softly and tell her that her girlfriend has gone to sleep. She nods.

Cool, I think we've seen the last of the guys, she says, walking over to the table.

Oh I wouldn t be so sure, there s still like what four minutes of girls night out left, you retort.

You watch her as she takes a drink from the beer bottle she just picked up. I ve had enough of girls, and guys, she says, sounding exasperated.

There s an old horror movie on, you tell her, trying to take her mind off things.

She glances at the television then back at you. Works for me, she says and you smile at her as she sits down next to you and sighs. Are you cold, she asks and you look over at her and nod. She leans across you to grab a blanket and you can t stop yourself from staring at her. You give her a quick once over, and once again your eyes are locked on her face. She glances at you quickly as she leans back, spreading the blanket over both of you with a smile, and suddenly you feel tingly all over. You steal quick glances at her out of the corner of your eyes as she does this, and when she s finished, she looks at you. Your eyes lock and you smile at her. It s lusty, yet innocent. You re both focusing on each other s lips and you suddenly wonder if her lips taste like cherry, because you think they should.

You both look into each other s eyes, and you feel warm in places a girl had never made you feel warm before. She looks back at the TV and you bite your bottom lip nervously before doing the same. You re unsure of why you feel this way, but you like it. You let out a long, slow breath and relax against the back of the couch. You steal one more glance at her before turning back to the movie. After a few minutes, you rest your head on her shoulder. She instinctively wraps her arm around you and you tense up as her fingers brush your bare skin. She looks at you and smiles, and you relax into her.

Yeah, you definitely like this. 


	2. Grace Like The Morning

You wake up, blinded by the light coming in through the curtains. You don t open your eyes because you feel arms wrapped around you and you re scared you d wake whoever it is. Instead, you sigh and curl up closer, trying to fall back asleep. For some reason, you feel good about yourself, even though you can t remember where you are, because you know it s not home. You decide you should probably figure that out, so you open your eyes a little and see the blonde hair that s across your shoulder and smile. You know exactly where you re at, and it makes you all warm again. You lean up slightly to see what time it is, you notice your shirt is lying on the arm of the couch and you re suddenly very aware of the closeness of her skin. You peek back underneath the covers and see her arm draped over your bare breasts and you sigh. You knew something felt different.

Her hot breath is on your neck making chills run down your spine and she groans. Mmm morning, she says, slowly opening her eyes, and you wish that the ground would open up and swallow you whole.

Hey, you say simply and she smiles at you. You smile nervously and she notices.

Nervous much, she asks, focusing intently on you. You see the sparkle in her eyes and relax, remembering the night before.

Hey Alex? She simply arches an eyebrow in reply as she stretches and you resist the urge to run your hands over her smooth stomach. God, no woman has ever made you feel this way, and even in your confusion, you know that you don t want it to go away. Last night...did we...um... The last you remember is resting your head on her shoulder as you watched the movie, but you know you definitely had your clothes on then.

She laughs. Us? No. You took that off before we laid down, she tells you, gesturing towards your top and you re suddenly relieved. You wouldn t want to forget your first kiss.

Good, you say. She looks at you and you realize how that sounded. I just mean...wouldn t want to forget anything. Your rest your hand on her stomach and smile. Your eyes meet in an intense stare that rivals the one from the night before and before you can stop yourself, you re moving closer to her ready to kiss her. You get daring and let your hand slowly find its way from her stomach to her inner thigh and you drag your fingertips slowly up and down the soft skin. Your eyes are still locked on one another and she draws in a sharp breath as you stroke her thigh. Letting your hand wander further up, you feel how hot she is, and it excites you, knowing what you re doing to her. A soft moan escapes her lips and you decide that now is the moment you should kiss her.

Leaning in to close the gap, you hear footsteps from the bedroom and she hears them too. Instinct kicks in and you both jump up off the couch, trying to find your clothes. You pick up the bra sitting next to your shirt and you start to slide it on when you feel hands on your waist.

I believe that belongs to me, she whispers and dangles yours in front of you. You both smile and quickly finish getting dressed.

You re blushing like a school girl as you watch Alex fold the blanket you shared when Jodie comes out of the bedroom. You feel like you ve just escaped being caught sleeping together, though you hadn t even kissed her. You catch her eye, smile, and tell her you ll call her later before heading out the door. You slip your sunglasses on and walk outside.

Today would be a good day. 


	3. Weightless

You walk along the pier with her, hand in hand, as the wind blows softly. You look over at her and notice how beautiful she looks in the setting sun. You pause briefly and push a stray hair behind her ear and she pulls you in for a kiss. You still can t believe how undeniably attracted you are to her. If you d been asked a month ago if you d ever hook up with a girl, it would have been an emphatic no. But then again, a month ago, you didn t know her as anything other than Seth s boss and sometime girlfriend.

Hey, Maris, she says, breaking your thoughts. You smile at her and she continues. I m glad you finally decided to do that. You, uh, don t know how hard it s been, trying not to kiss you.

You smile at her and sit down at the end of the pier. She takes a seat behind you, wrapping her arms around you and resting her head on your shoulder. With a small contented sigh, you relax into her body and watch the sunset.

As darkness approaches, you realize she should probably be getting back to work, but you don t want to speak and break the moment. You decide that you will give it a few more minutes, when you feel a light kiss on your neck. You draw in a sharp breath and close your eyes as she continues her kisses further down your neck and along your shoulders. She brushes your hair away from your neck and drags her fingers lightly over the skin on your partially exposed back.

Mmm, Alex, you breathe. You should probably mmm get back to work, you finish, turning around to kiss her. She already has you hot and if things continue this way, you re not going to be able to stop.

How about back to my place, she whispers, her lips brushing your ear. She stands up, offering her hand to you. You take it, smiling at her as you head back to her Jeep.

The ride back to her place is a long one, filled with lusty gazes and you re not sure if you can hold out any longer. You drag your fingers slowly up and down her thigh, just like the morning you woke up together, only this time, your touch isn t just meant to be a tease, it s full of promise. She looks at you, her eyes full of an animalistic desire and passion that makes you hungry for the taste of her mouth.

She pulls up at her place and you re out of the Jeep before she can even turn it off. You make your way up to her door slowly, kissing the whole way. She fumbles with her keys as you slowly drag your nails over her stomach, continuing to kiss her.

The door is shut nearly as soon as it s opened, your slightly smaller body pushing her up against the door. Your hands explore her body with some sort of hunger and need as you kiss her neck and collar bone. She closes her eyes and drops her keys as you find the hem of her shirt and tug on it lightly. You slide it up a little and kneel down, nipping and sucking on her smooth tanned stomach when she places her hands on yours.

Marissa, she whispers breathlessly. Don t ru...

Shh, you silence her, standing up and looking her in her eyes. I ve dreamt of this every night since I talked to you at the Cohen s anniversary party. Her expression changes quickly to one of shock and you just smile. I know, I know. I barely knew you, but when we were standing there in the line of people and you touched me, a shock ran through my body and I wanted more. Why do you think I planned out girls night out the next week at the Bait Shop? I had to see you again. You ve been my every thought since that night, so if you don t want this, please tell me now, Alex. You ve never felt this strongly about anyone not Luke, not Ryan, and certainly not DJ...and you re almost certain you ll never feel this way for anyone other than her. You take a deep breath and decide to tell her that. You look at her, your vision blurred by your tears. Look, I ve never had feelings this intense for anyone. If you re feeling pressured by me, I apologize, but please, if you even think you could feel for me what I feel for you, just let me know.

Marissa, she says, gently squeezing your hand and you realize in that moment that you love the way she says your name, it s always gentle and caring, as if she can t say it any differently for fear of hurting you. She brushes away your tears with her free hand and lets her fingers linger on your cheek as she continues. So you remember when the first time we met was?

Yeah, the Bait Shop when you were out on that date with Ryan.

She stifles a laugh. That was hardly a date. But I remember when we ran into you, The Killers were playing Mr. Brightside and since then, I think of you when I hear the song. I remember the exact outfit you were wearing. I remember how you had your hair. And more importantly, I remember how beautiful I thought you were. The next day when I asked Seth about you, the only thing I remember is thinking how lucky of a guy DJ must have been to be dating a girl like you. And now, all I can think about is how lucky I am to have you. I didn t want to you to rush just to make me happy. She pauses and smiles at you, then runs her fingers lightly over the necklace she gave you. I gave you my heart. And when you re ready, you can have the rest of me, too. She kisses you softly and you whisper to her.

I m ready, you say, taking her hands. She leads you into the bedroom and you notice that the entire flock of butterflies from the club before you kissed her have once again taken up residence in your stomach. Just this morning you had woken up in that bed, watching her sleep. Now, in a few minutes, you would be making love to her in that very same bed.

You kiss her intensely, your tongue dancing with hers as you continue to memorize and explore her mouth. You slip her shirt off slowly, breaking the kiss for that brief moment that her shirt is over her head. You run your hands eagerly over her tanned body, eliciting a moan from between her soft lips. You unclasp her bra and slide it off her shoulders before pushing her back against the bed. You straddle her hips and she smiles at you as you lean down to kiss her. You run your fingertips slowly along her sides as your kisses travel lower. You capture one of her nipples in your mouth, gently sucking it and lightly dragging your teeth over it. She moans loudly, tangling her fingers in your hair, pulling you closer. You continue eagerly, doing the same to her other breast. Your hands roam her body as you continue to commit every detail of this moment to memory. You continue kissing down her body until your reach her pants. You drag your index finger along the waistband, and she pushes her hips up into your body. You slowly, teasingly drag your tongue along the same path your finger just traveled. She gasps at the contact, moaning softly.

You unzip her jeans and slide them off her hips, letting your fingertips graze the skin you are slowly exposing. You marvel at how she writhes under your touch as you drop her jeans at the foot of the bed. You crawl back up her body, kissing along the inside of her thighs, making her moan even louder. As you near her center, you feel her heat and it makes you even hotter, knowing how you make her feel. You slide your body back up hers, letting your left hand linger between her legs. As you let your tongue slowly massage her mouth again, you gently brush your fingers over the thin piece of cloth that is the only thing keeping you from slipping inside of her. She thrusts against your fingers and your feel her wetness begging you to slip inside and release her just like you ve dreamed of.

Suddenly, you stop, pulling away from her. She moans softly as you stand up.

Marissa, she says softly and slightly out of breath.

You just smile at her and slowly slip off your clothes, needing to feel her skin against yours. She leans up to run her fingers over your toned stomach and you push her back against her bed. You need to feel her touch...your body aches for it...but you want to be the one in control. You want to show her that you know what you want and this isn t just some game to you. You climb back on top of her, your thighs touching first, and then moving up from there as you lay your body on top of hers. You both moan in ecstasy as you feel your skin against hers for the first time. There s something wonderfully different about the way her body fits against yours and you realize that this is the way it s supposed to be.

You continue your kisses all over her body and she runs her fingers along your back. You once again reach the waistband of her underwear, and this time, you hook your fingers around them and slide them down, tossing them to the side. You lightly drag your fingers over her bikini line, eliciting a sharp moan from her. You smile at her as she thrusts against your hand, straining to feel you inside of her. Finally giving in to her, you slide your fingers inside, marveling at how soft she felt inside. You lean down and place and light kiss on her clit, eliciting a low growl from her. Enticed by her reaction, you go on, licking and nipping as she moans and writhes against you. Continuing to stroke her velvety inside, you slide back up her body, kissing her all the way. Your lips find their way back to hers, and you share a tender yet passionate kiss. You slip one of your legs in between hers, using it to plunge deeper inside of her, her hips undulating against you. You use your palm to rub against her clit, causing her to cry out in elation. She moans your name, drawing it out, and it s like music to your ears. Hearing her say your name in the heat of the moment is something you will never forget, nor do you want to.

You slip a third finger inside her and feel her tense around you. She drags her nails down your back, hurting you a little, but it s the type of pain that hurts so good. Every time you were with Luke or Ryan, you felt like you were falling apart...like they were breaking you from the inside. Now, with her, everything is coming together. You feel like she s the glue, holding you together and keeping you sane.

You thrust inside more, speeding up as her breathing becomes labored and shallow and she loses her ability to form complete thoughts.

Oh God...Marissa, she moans into your ear as you kiss her neck. Please...don t stop, she begs, and you re glad to oblige. You slowly your thrusts to a steady pace that matches the movement of her hips and you feel her clench her walls around you, nearing her orgasm. You slide in and out a few more times as she draws closer, closing her eyes and gasping for air. One last thrust sends her over the edge. I love you, she whispers before screaming your name as she climaxes. You remain inside of her, stroking her slowly as you draw out the orgasm. You kiss her as she comes down, slowly sliding out of her. You make your way back down to her center, kissing and licking her, savoring not only the sweet taste of her, but also the moment. You don t want to forget anything about this night. She sighs contentedly and pulls you back up to her.

Marissa, she says, wrapping her arms around you. You smile at her, adoring the glow of her skin, and she continues. You are amazing.

You lean your forehead against hers and close your eyes. You feel weightless, like you re floating. You ve finally found love. 


	4. Chapter 4

Your cell phone rings, waking you from a peaceful sleep. You reluctantly climb out of bed to find it, wrapping a sheet around you and cursing whoever decided it was a good idea to call you at 5 am. Stumbling towards your phone, you smile at the blonde girl still sleeping, remembering the night before. You flip your phone open without checking the caller ID.

Hello, you say, your voice laced with the effects of sleep.

Marissa Cooper, the voice on the other end screeches. Where the hell are you, young lady?

Yeah, nice to hear from you, too, Mom, you say sarcastically.

Where are you, your mother demands.

I fell asleep at Summer s, you lie, hoping she hasn t called there.

Do you know how worried I was?

Mom, it s five in the morning. You obviously weren t TOO worried if you just now realized I was gone.

Fine, Julie huffs, knowing that you ve called her bluff. But I expect you home after school or it ll be a weekend at home. Understood?

Yeah, yeah, you muster. Can I go back to sleep now, you ask, not even caring what the answer is.

Just be home after school.

You sigh and close the phone before even saying goodbye. You make your way back to bed, trying not to wake her.

Mmmm...who was that, she says slowly, not opening her eyes.

Just my mom, you grumble, slipping against her naked body.

Oh, she says, and it comes out as more of a grunt than an actual word. She throws her arm over you, pulling you closer. You quickly slip back into sleep, dreaming about the beautiful woman sleeping next to you. 


	5. Chapter 5

You pull up to your house, an hour and a half after school let out, hoping your mother isn t home to realize you didn t come straight home after school. To be honest, you never actually went. You spent the day in your lover s arms, not moving from the bed except for that hour long shower you took. You close your eyes, relaxing against the leather seats, and a smile creeps across you face as you think of the way she touched you. You blush, thinking of the way she made you come, screaming her name and dragging your nails down her back. It was the first time you didn t have to fake your ecstasy...the first time anyone could completely fulfill your desires. You can almost feel her hands on your skin again, making you all hot and bothered, your face flush and your skin covered in a thin sheen of sweat. No one has ever had quite the impact she s had on you. Opening your eyes, you pick up the cell phone and dial her number.

Hearing her breathless Hello, you can t help but wonder if she was thinking of the same thing. Hey you, you reply, your tuned on state noticeable in your tone.

Mmm...I was just thinking of you, she tells you, confirming your beliefs.

Really now, you flirt. Because I was just thinking of you, too. Any thoughts in particular?

Oh, not really she lies, enticing you.

Oh, okay, you say, almost chuckling.

Okay, maybe about that shower, she says, her voice dropping to the low and husky tone she takes whenever she gets turned on.

Maybe we ll just have to reenact that scene later this weekend, you tease, knowing that you probably will.

Maybe we will, she responds.

I can t wait to see you again, you say, voice just a whisper.

I can t wait to see you, either, she says, and after an understanding silence, you hang up your phone, knowing what the promise of seeing her brings. 


	6. I Won't Back Down

You walk in the front door and before you can close it, she s standing in front of you.

Traffic on the way home from school, she says.

Yeah, mom, you say, rolling your eyes and walking past her into the kitchen. You weren t in the mood for her games, you just wanted to show up long enough for her to get off your case and let you go see Alex again.

I know you weren t at Summer s last night, she calls from the foyer as she comes to meet you in the kitchen.

Oh really now, you say, pulling out the orange juice and taking a drink, not even bothering with a glass.

Marissa, don t play these games with me, she tells you.

Games, mom, you say, looking at her incredulously. You don t want to play games with me? Did you ever think I didn t want to play your games?

She looks at you with her infamous scowl before continuing. What is this all about? The truancy, not coming home, sleeping at that random punk chick s house.

What, you question, nearly spitting out your drink. You put your hand over your mouth as a precaution.

I know where you ve been, Marissa. I saw your car at her house this morning.

Oh, so you didn t come barging in when you saw my car? How very thoughtful of you, you say facetiously.

Caleb said this girl was a troublemaker, and now I can see he s right. I m not going to have any daughter of mine dating a purple haired punk. Let alone one that s a girl, she tells you, and you re shocked at how calm she remains. On the inside, you re freaking out, because if Julie Cooper knows, so will everyone else. You maintain your resolve, not letting her think that she s scared you.

Crossing your arms, you shoot her a look and say, Oh, what are you going to do this time, pay her off? Threaten her? How low could you possibly get, mother?

She takes a step closer to you and lowers her voice. Now you listen to me. You know how this affected Luke s father. There s enough drama in our lives right now, what with this illegitimate child and your father leaving, I am not going to have all of Newport thinking that Julie Cooper-Nichol s daughter is a lesbian, she tells you, spitting out the last word as if it would leave a dirty taste in her mouth if she left it in there any longer. You will stop seeing her, even if I have to see to it myself.

You realize that your mother mind is set and you know there s no changing it, so there s no use in trying. Giving her a flippant whatever, you turn around and head out the door to your car. You refuse to let her see you cry. 


	7. Not That I Don't Want To Be With You

You walk into the club, standing at the top of the spiral staircase, watching her give instructions to the few other employees that occupy the floor. You reach up and touch the heart necklace she gave you, unsure of what you re about to do. Your heart hurts just thinking about it, but it s the right thing to do, isn t it? No one is going to accept you two and you can t take the stress of being rejected by everyone you know and love. You slowly make your way down the stairs, steadying yourself on the handrail. You stop at the bar, waiting for her to turn around.

Hey you, she says, smiling and coming over for a kiss. You move away and kiss her cheek, knowing you won t be able to go through with this if you let her kiss you.

Alex, can I talk to you, you ask, your voice shaky. You won t allow yourself to look into her sparkling eyes. She doesn t speak, but she wraps her arm around your waist and guides you in to her office. You sit on the couch and stare at the tiles on the floor, nervous about the pending conversation.

What do you want to talk about, she inquires, leaning against her desk. You inadvertently let your eyes wander up the curves of her long legs, to her hips, and up to her torso where you stare at her beautifully toned stomach, resisting the urge to walk over and places kisses on every inch of her exposed skin.

Your voice cracks as you speak. I...I can t do this, you say, tears already starting to well up in your eyes.

Can t do what, Marissa, she says, her voice a mix of anger and sadness.

Us, you state plainly. We have to go back to being friends," you finish, standing up. Your voice seems sure, but if she looked at you right now, she d know you were lying. You hear her sigh as she walks towards you, and she places her hands on your hips. Tilting your chin up and looking into your eyes, she begins to speak.

I can t go back to being friends, Marissa. This us this is living, she starts, obviously near tears.

And friends...that's waiting and I won't go back. I can t go back. You know you don t want this. Without you, I have nothing, Marissa, she says, her voice pleading you to stay. Please, baby, we can work on this. You can do this...we ll take it slow...no more sex...whatever you want. Just please...don t leave me, she says, the pleading becoming more urgent. You make the mistake of looking in her eyes and you see the tears forming there. You can t break down now.

"Look Alex, you stay, stepping away from her and looking at the ground. You know I m straight. You and I...we...we'd just be better at friends, you stammer, trying to convince yourself more than her. You look in her eyes one more time and see that she s already set up the walls around her heart. You wish you could do the same, but no walls in the world could block the pain you feel from the words she says next.

"Well next time you wanna experiment, go fuck another girl and make her fall in love with you, but don't come back to me.

You stand there in a state of shock, her words echoing in your mind. She s in love with me, you think as you open your mouth to speak. Al... you start, but she cuts you off before you can even finish her name.

Just go, she says angrily, motioning towards the door. You turn away from her, unable to let her see you cry. The tears fall freely as you run out of her office and up the stairs to your car. You climb in and slam the door, not noticing the person sitting next to you as the steady tears turn into loud sobs. 


	8. Tell Me Something Dangerous And True

Hey Coop, are you alright, she says and you jump. You try to dry your eyes, but you just can t seem to calm your tears down and you re on the verge of hyperventilating. She wraps her arms around you and after a few minutes, you finally compose yourself, at least enough to stop the sobbing. Hey you. What s going on?

You look up at your best friend and try to force a smile on your face. You really didn t need her to be there now, yet you needed her more than ever.

Summ, I just can t do this right now.

Do what?

Talk about this.

She looks up at the building you just came out of then back at you. The Bait Shop? What happened with Alex? Do I need to go kick her ass?

You almost giggle when you think about Summer s rage blackouts, but then shake your head. It s my fault. Not hers.

Well talk to me, Coop. You know you can tell me anything. You wrack your brain trying to come up with a good excuse as to why you were crying like you were. You didn t ever cry that hard when Ryan left. As you begin to formulate a lie, she speaks again. You didn t even cry this much when Ryan left. You sure you re not a lez, Coop, she jokes and you look at her, your eyes full of fear now that she s found out your secret.

Can we just drive, you state more than ask, handing her your keys. You slowly climb over to the passenger s seat as she walks around to become your chauffeur.

You drive for over two hours before speaking. You haven t gone much of anywhere, but you re pretty sure you ve seen all of Newport. Three times. And probably a few other places as well, you just weren t paying attention. She hasn t tried to get you to talk; she knows you will when you re ready. The sobbing has subsided, but the tears still flow freely...your cheeks are tear-stained and swollen, your eyes bloodshot and stinging.

She finally gets tired of driving and stops the car on the overlook by the beach. You sit in silence, thinking about

Alex... you choke out, your tears caught in your throat.

What, she asks, softly, putting her hand on yours.

You start to speak again. Alex and I...we re dating, you pause before continuing. Well, we were.

She doesn t say a work, but just stares at you in shock. You...you mean you and Alex...girl Alex, right?

You nod and look at her apologetically. I couldn t take it, though. Julie found out, you spat. And you know her big mouth. I was afraid of what people would think. It wasn t fair to Alex.

Wait, She said, halting you. Marissa Cooper! Since when have you EVER cared about what anyone thought about you? More especially, the fire breathing dragon that calls herself your mother? I mean, you ARE the same Coop that dated the boy from Chino...the lawn boy...and takes any chance she gets to embarrass and upset her mother, right?

You pause as you think about her words. She was right after all. And you just told her and she didn t freak out...she s really the only person that matters to you, aside from Alex. You look up at her and nod. You are right, Summ, you say, voice close to a whisper. I never have cared what my mother thinks. But it s different with Alex. I m not just dating her to piss her off.

So the fact that it DID made you break up with her?

No. Yes, you sigh, looking down at the floorboards.

Coop, if you re not dating her to piss your mom of, but coincidentally it still does, that s okay. If this really means something to you, then Alex should understand that she s more than just a tool to get back at Julie, right?

You nod, amazed at how she always knows exactly what to do in your situations when you have no clue as to what you re doing.

Then go back there and make up with your woman!

You almost laugh at her wild expression that accompanied her comment. Looking at your watch, you realize that it was nine thirty, almost three hours since you walked out of the Bait Shop, and you haven t stopped crying since. She was right, you needed to go back to her and explain what was going on. If you wanted to reconcile with Alex, it had to be tonight. You take a deep breath and lean back against the seat, trying to gather your thoughts and figure out what you re going to say to Alex to explain to her that you didn t really mean what you said.

Summer starts up the car and drives away as you continue to think about how to make up with Alex. A few minutes later, your thoughts are interrupted by her voice.

Coop! Get your ass in there, she demands, leaning across to open your door. You realize you re already at the Bait Shop and you get out and look back at her for support. You better not come back out here until you ve won her back, she says with a smile. 


	9. We Won't Be Scarred Like That

You walk into the club for the second time that night, except you re a little more sure of what you re going to say, because this time, it s the truth. As the sounds of an unidentified emo band drift through the air, you scan the floor for Alex and can t find her. You make your way down the stairs, not needing the rail for support this time. Glancing behind the bar, you notice she s not there, so you head directly to her office, hoping to find her there. You knock and call her name, silently pleading that she ll let you in.

I thought I told you to leave, she says coldly, but you walk in anyway. She turns to face you and it s obvious she s been crying.

Alex, you start, but she stops you.

I thought I told you to leave, she says again, more determined this time. You start to lose hope in getting her back, but you press on, walking closer to her, resting against her desk.

I just needed to come back to tell you something, then I ll leave, you tell her, hoping that what you have to say will make her want you to stay. She s standing in front of you now, and you find it somewhat nerve wracking. You re starting to get flustered just as you did when you first realized you were falling in love with her.

What more could you possibly have to say to me, she asks you, pain and confusion not only apparent in her voice but in her eyes as well. You step forward, your arms resting lazily on her shoulders and your eyes staring intensely into hers. You move closer and kiss her passionately; much like the first kiss you shared on that night behind the bar when you first revealed your feelings for her.

I m in love with you, too, you breathe, pulling away from her and turning to leave, terrified that her reaction might not be the one you want it to be. You reach the door before she speaks.

What s going on here, she says quietly, her voice trembling. You turn and see that her tears have returned. Are you trying to play some sort of sick joke on me, Marissa? Because I really don t think my heart can take you walking out on me again, she tells you, matter-of-factly. To hear her speak, she seems strong and sure, but you can tell that she s broken.

Look, you say, taking a small step closer to her. I was worried about what people would think. More importantly, Summer. I didn t want to leave you, but I didn t know if I could handle it. I left your office and went out to my car and Summer was there, watching me break down. She s been with me since I left here and to make a long story short, she brought me back here and told me I wasn t allowed to leave until I d regained my girl.

Oh so Summer s the only reason you re here, she asks.

No! You place your hands on her hips and look deep in her eyes. I m here because I m in love with you. My mom found out and I freaked. All the other people I ve dated have been to piss my mom off, but you re something special. When she got pissed, I got scared, knowing she d tell anyone. And not only that, I didn t want you to think that I was just doing this to piss Julie off. Then tonight, when I was talking to Summer, she made me realize that Marissa Cooper doesn t care what other people think, you say, realizing you re speaking in third person. She made me realize that even though I wasn t dating you to make Julie mad, it still did, but you d realize that wasn t the reason for our relationship.

You couldn t realize that for yourself, before you came in her and kind of ripped my heart of my chest, she questions, and you notice that her usual sarcastic tone is somewhat apparent in her voice. You take this as a good sign, because even though she s never used this tone with you, you know that this voice is better than the cold and hateful attitude she just had.

I m sorry, you say, looking at her with apologetic eyes. I never wanted to hurt you. I was scared, Alex... You look at her, questioning her silently if it s okay to touch her. That was always one of your favorite things about your relationship, your ability to communicate without saying a word. You scan her eyes, looking for her answer, when she steps forward, closing the gap between the both of you. You immediately wrap your arms around her tightly, your head resting on her shoulder against her neck. The tears fall freely as she places her arms around you, pulling you closer. I m so sorry, you tell her again through your tears.

She whispers to you softly. Let me help you through this, she reassures, running her hands through your hair. Just please don t pull away from me again, she pleads.

You look at her, seeing the sincerity in her eyes. Her eyes are once again placid and clear, not cloudy and pained like they were when you left. Alex, you whisper.

Yes, she replies, stroking your cheek.

I m sorry I hurt you.

Shhh...Please don t apologize. I understand where you re coming from. I m just glad that Summer talked some sense into you, she jokes.

You smile and nod, glad that Summer hadn t judged you and forced you to go back in. You weren t quite sure that you d be able to handle it without Alex. You know, you re the best thing that s ever happened to me, you tell her.

What made you realize that, she questions, slipping her hand into yours.

I was just thinking about how I would have survived without you, and I got to thinking about how many things changed since I ve been with you. I don t get drunk and pass out every night...I haven t had an argument with my mom...I ve learned to deal with problems rather than using another outlet like alcohol. I guess you just bring out the best in me, you comment, smiling. 


	10. When Were You When We Were Getting High

You sure you want to do this, she asks, slipping her hands around your waist from behind and resting her chin on your shoulder. You turn your head and kiss her softly before smiling and nodding.

I m tired of hiding this, you whisper to her. Smiling, you pull away gently and open the door, walking into the party. You take her hand, staying close, making sure everyone knows that she s taken. It s not that you re trying to show her off...ok, maybe you are, just a little bit...but you don t want anyone else checking your girl out, though you wouldn t blame them if they did. You want a beer, you ask, ignoring the few glances from people in the crowd that you didn t even recognize.

Um, sure, she says, and you lead her towards the kitchen and grab her a drink. She looks at you inquisitively as you grab a soda and close the door. None for you?

You smile at her again. I don t need alcohol anymore. Maybe one or two at home with you, but I don t want to go out and drink, you tell her and she smiles.

Well then, she says, returning the smile. None for me either.

Alex, you don t have to do that, you whisper, but she s already put her beer back in the fridge.

I want to, she says, kissing your forehead. You intertwine your fingers once more and head through the beach house to check out the rest of the party.

After a few hours, you suddenly feel hyper-excited and nervous all at the same time. You walk through the house, trying to find Alex and when you find her, you tell her you want to go.

You okay, she asks, brushing a few strands of hair from your slightly sweaty forehead. You shake your head and her eyes get dark, full of concern. What s wrong baby?

I just don t feel right, you say.

I thought you weren t drinking, she states.

I wasn t! I just feel like something is off, you tell her, resting your head on her shoulder and start to involuntarily grind your teeth.

Wait, she says, pulling back and holding you up. Did you leave your drink sitting around? You nod. Shit, she whispers, taking your drink from you. How much did you drink since then, she asks, looking down into the half empty cup.

You shrug. Just a few drinks, you answer, kissing her. I was too busy kissing you, you say, smiling. She simply takes your hand and starts walking you towards the front door. 


	11. I Think I'm Gonna Bash His Head In

Passing a group of guys, you hear them snicker and whisper something about her. You pause for a second, trying to listen to them without appearing too obvious. You hear whispers about someone slipping something in her drink and you set your jaw, not wanting to make a scene in front of her, then continue walking her out to your Jeep. You get her in, and then tell her you ll be right back, heading back to find the guys.

You walk right up in the middle of their group, demanding you tell them who did it. Three of the guys grow silent, darting glances at the fourth kid, a scrawny punk wannabe that you recognize from The Bait Shop. Grabbing him by the front of his shirt, you slam him up against the wall.

What the fuck do you think you re doing, you nearly scream at him. He s already scared and you haven t really done anything. Waiting for his answer, you hear one of his buddies from behind.

Woah, chill out, he says and you turn around to face him.

What, you think this is funny, you ask, not really wanting to know his answer. You turn back to the guy against the wall and feel someone try to pull you off. Oh, this is war, you think, not caring that it s four of them versus one of you. No one messes with your girl. You throw your elbow back and connect with someone s face and breaking free of their hold and knocking him to the ground, holding his face.

Within five minutes, you have two of the other guys on the floor, with the fourth guy nowhere to be found. However, you didn t make it out unscathed. You wipe the blood off your lip and squint your eyes, trying to take away the pain and throbbing in the left one. You stand up to leave and take Marissa home, but when you open the door, you see two cops standing there. Oh shit, you think, knowing why they re there and knowing you can t hide it.

Suddenly, the missing guy appears, and you know he s the one that called. You glared at him, thinking, Pussy has to call the cops on a girl.

The cops ask you to turn around and you oblige, not wanting to get in anymore trouble. One of them handcuffs you and as you explain about the guy slipping Marissa something in her drink, the other friends are being placed in handcuffs. They lead you out to the car, walking past your Jeep, and Marissa jumps out.

Oh my God, Alex, she starts, but you cut her off.

Just meet me down at the station, you tell her as you duck into the backseat of the patrol car. 


End file.
